Rubber-stamp Congress won’t override Noy’s veto

Senator Cynthia Villar was just telling us last Thursday morning that House Bill 5842, which seeks a P2,000 across-the-board increase in the Social Security System (SSS) pension benefits would have become a law automatically, not needing Noynoy Aquino’s signature.

Villar obviously didn’t know then, at the time my co-anchor Martin Andanar and I interviewed her over Radyo 5, that the President had in fact affixed his all-important signature, not to the bill but to the official notice of his veto of the proposed measure.

It turned out that Noynoy and his alipores, Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, did not disclose the transmittal of the President’s veto.

How treacherous, waiting until the last minute, and then going for the kill!

Having been passed by the bicameral Congress, it had stirred up much anticipation among pensioners, particularly senior citizens in dire need to augment their benefits.

No wonder that the ruthless move of this callous President has triggered widespread public outrage.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, a principal authors of the bill, noted that an “override” is the only way to reverse the veto, requiring a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and the House, voting separately.

Unfortunately, with most members of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) and administration coalition candidates running in the May 2016 elections, how many among those in the House and in the Senate would dare support an override, and forego of dipping into the LP’s immense poll booty?

Time and again, Noynoy has arrogantly shown his repressive program of governance deceptively called matuwid na daan.

Just recently, Noynoy unilaterally ruled out granting tax breaks on individual income taxes.

If SSS isn’t running a viable operation, then why has this administration lavishly rewarded its officials with excessive salaries, allowances and bonuses?

The Commission on Audit (COA) had disclosed that SSS officials are among the highest-paid government employees.

Colmenares criticized the SSS Board for approving more than P10 million in bonuses for themselves and P276 million for other employees of the state-run pension fund.

In 2013, SSS President and CEO Emilio de Quiros received a total of P7.1 million which included a P1.9 million bonus and P3.4 million in allowances.

In 2014, de Quiros earned P6.84 million from the SSS. This included a P2.25 million bonus.

SSS also reportedly paid millions of pesos to two executive vice presidents, seven senior vice presidents, 16 vice presidents and eight members of the board of directors.

How can these greedy officials sleep peacefully at night, especially these days after they convinced the mentally handicapped in the Palace to deny over two million SSS pensioners a measly raise in their monthly benefits?

Noynoy insists that allowing such pension hike will cause SSS bankruptcy in 10 years or so.

Then, what did this Chief Executive and other “bright heads” in Malacañang do in the past five and a half years to avert the SSS’ current financial conditions? Why didn’t they address the problem of inefficient collection, in the first place?

The truth is this inutile President, who has lost his credibility, is lying to us again.

Walanghiya at walang-patawad ang isang ito!

Noy shattered joy of Pope’s visit
I STILL get goosebumps, even teary-eyed, reminiscing last year’s first-time visit of His Holiness Pope Francis, in which Filipinos were able to personally impart to our beloved Church leader our genuine, selfless love and faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was days after a multitude gathered to honor the miraculous image of the Black Nazarene in the annual traslacion that millions more gathered in Metro Manila, and then in Leyte, to embrace the godly presence of His Eminence Pope Francis.

Unfortunately, the historic visit and the indescribable joy that we experienced was shattered days later by the horror of the Mamasapano Massacre where 44 promising Special Action Force (SAF) police officers perished in the suicide mission ordered by the self-aggrandizing Noynoy.

So much for flaunting matuwid na daan, which in truth is a bloody mess!

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5 Comments

To Veto this increase ;is a counter productive measure –Why take from the poor, needy, underprivileged…These people have given; in the case of senior citizens a lifetime;of contribution to this nation ..Why penalize them…Why not go after corrupt officials’or businessmen –Who avoid paying there fair share –Or using the public purse as there on Private bank …It is like kicking someone when they are already down ./..

For information, we are living in democratic country and we have a freedom of speech. we have the right to express ourselves , we have the right to be anger, we have the right to tell whatever we want, BUT WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO HARMS OTHER PEOPLE THAT WILL PUT THEIR LIFES IN DANGER….that is criminal acts….
Feed your beautiful minds…

Us here in the USA is also expecting an increase in our SSS pension every year but when our President say that there wont b e an increase because they cannot cover it and the future retirees might be affected, we understand.No person in its right mind wont be happy to earn a pogi points. I vow my head to P-Noy and Mar Roxas for being so brave to turn down pogi points especially at this time. I am very sure that all the candidates will say that they are not in favor of the veto. But ask them how they can cover that they will tell you na bahala na si Batman diyan.

Puro ka yakyak bayaran ka din wala ka respeto professional ka bunganga mo salitang kanto.We are in a free and democratic country but does not mean you have all the right to demean and insult a president to call ngoyngoy.You are not the Erwin i missed for being true and bold in exposing illegal,criminal and bad behavior in all govt.official.But comments/reports against anybody should be be done professionaly and politely.Respect yourself and the institution you represent Gago ka

Mr. E Tulfo is only telling the truth and nothing but the truth…unlike you and if you are for the Abnoynoy Aquino government…so be it..because you are also showing also your bad image to our country….just shut your mouth because you are only knowing less about the situation of our country….anyway God Bless po….